Chapter 1: A Family Bound by Fate
Chapter 1: A Family Bound by Fate
Rumi had grown up in a house where love felt distant and broken. Her parents had divorced when she was still too young to understand what separation truly meant. Since then, she had been living with her dadi—a woman feared and whispered about in the neighborhood. People called her cold, even dangerous, because of her past as a former prisoner. But to Rumi, she was simply the only constant in her life.
The house was quiet most days, except for the presence of her cousin, Warisha. Warisha had lost both her parents at a young age, and like Rumi, she had no place else to go. The two girls shared more than just a home—they shared silence, grief, and a strange, unspoken understanding.
Warisha’s older brother, Wali, also lived with them. He was kind in his own way, always watching over Rumi a little too closely. Over time, his concern had turned into something deeper—something Rumi had noticed but never encouraged. She didn’t feel the same, and she avoided his gaze whenever it lingered too long.
Despite everything, Rumi trusted one person without question—her nana, Kudoos. He was one of the few people who spoke to her gently, who made her feel like she still belonged somewhere.
One evening, he called her to sit beside him. His voice was calm, but there was a seriousness in his eyes.
“Rumi,” he said, “I want to ask you something important. My old friend, Akram, has a nephew. He is a good boy, from a respectable family. What would you say… if I arrange your marriage with him?”
Rumi didn’t hesitate.
“If you think it’s right, Nana… then I trust you.”
She didn’t ask for his name again. She didn’t ask to see his picture. For her, trust was enough.
Miles away, in another home, the same conversation was taking place—but with a very different response.
Akram sat across from his grandson, Zee—whose real name was Ali. Unlike Rumi, Ali had grown up with choices, with freedom, with a voice he wasn’t afraid to use.
“I want you to marry my friend’s granddaughter,” Akram said firmly. “She’s well-raised. This is a good match.”
Ali leaned back, his expression unreadable.
“I’m not interested in marriage,” he replied coldly. “Not now. Maybe not ever.”
“This isn’t a request,” Akram warned.
Ali’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t back down.
“I don’t even know her,” he said. “And I’m not going to marry someone I’ve never met.”
Two families. Two decisions.
One girl who said yes without a second thought.
One boy who refused before even knowing her name.
And yet, fate had already begun writing a story neither of them could escape.
